


Icy Fear

by tmntstyle



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-06 20:31:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4235601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmntstyle/pseuds/tmntstyle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The biting cold weather mixed with a terrible accident of one Christmas Eve may bring out more damage than originally seen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Accident

“Get your shells in gear and up to the garage now! We can’t be late to the tree lighting!” A boisterous and bouncing orange-banded Michelangelo bellowed throughout the lair to alert his three older siblings of their plans. “If no one shows up in the next ten seconds, I’m so taking the Battle Shell for a spin all by myself!”  
It was Christmas Eve and the giant tree in Rockefeller Center was about to be fully lit to signify the wonderful holiday of Christmas. Christmas happened to be Mikey’s favorite time of year and he was NOT going to miss the tree lighting, even if he broke the rules by taking the Battle Shell out alone – especially when the roads were iced over.  
Three pairs of legs dashed to the lift that led to the garage on the surface, all owners of those legs sliding to a stop and bending over to catch their breath. One, wearing a red mask, straightened and fumed at Mikey.  
“Ya know damn well ya can’t go drivin’ by yourself, shell for brains! Besides, it’s freaking freezing out there and ya ain’t wearin’ no protection! Are ya stupid or somethin’? Wait, let me rephrase that. You’re stupid!”  
The one in purple, Donatello, yanked on the tails of the red mask. “As Raphael was trying to say in English, you need to put on your coat, scarf, gloves, pants, shoes and hat. It is way too cold out to not wear anything, even for warm-blooded humans. We’re turtles, cold-blooded. We have to wear clothing.”  
Making his eyes as big and innocent as he could, Mikey looked up to his oldest brother in blue, Leonardo. The eldest hesitated then shook his head, gesturing to the wall closet. Sighing in defeat and hanging his head, Mikey trudged to the closet to retrieve his clothes.  
Once dressed, along with the others, Mikey and his brothers rode the lift up to their garage that held the Battle Shell and, Raph’s favorite, the Shell Cycle. Giggling and bouncing, Mikey was the first inside the Battle Shell and in the passenger seat. “Shotgun!!”  
Leo was second inside, taking his seat at the steering wheel. He turned to Mikey and smacked the back of his head half-heartedly. “I am not going to start this vehicle until you buckle in your seatbelt, Michelangelo. Safety first, you know that.”  
Mikey stuck his tongue out but did as told, slumping slightly in his seat. He kept an eye on Leo as he buckled in as well. Once Donnie and Raph had taken their seats and were properly secured, Leo started the Battle Shell and drove out to the street. It took all of his focus to maneuver through the frozen streets and alleyways, several accident scenes passing in their windows. Each brother winced at the wreckage, feeling remorse for the victims they couldn’t help.  
Raph huffed and crossed his arms, a look of guilt crossing his face. “Why can’t we do anythin’ about those wrecks? People could die.” Donnie reached over and placed his hand on a padded, emerald green knee. “The police are either on their way or already on the scene. We can’t risk getting seen, especially being weighed down by these clothes.”  
Leonardo heaved a sigh and turned his head to look at Raph out of the corner of his eye. “We can’t help everybody, Raph. I wish it weren’t that way but the reality is that we are not super heroes. We are just humanoid turtles that happen to be trained ninjas.”  
Mikey’s eyes widened and he grabbed the wheel. “Leo pay attention to the road!” Right as Leo turned to look out the windshield, an eighteen-wheeler blindsided the Battle Shell. The leader slammed on the brakes and spun the wheel hard to the right, causing the Battle Shell to slam into a building and land on its side.  
Leo quickly removed his seatbelt and looked about. The vehicle was filled with smoke, making it difficult to see. “Don? Raph? Mikey? You guys alright?!” His response was a weak cough to his right, spurring him to stumble to the paIn a small voice, Mikey said, “I c-can’t feel…m-my leg… Leo, I’m scared…” He coughed again, all other speech halted by the harsh onslaught. Leo waved away as much smoke as he could in order to see and cradled Mikey to his chest, breaking through his mostly broken window, and ran for cover, knowing Raph and Donnie would have to get themselves out of the wreckage.  
Leo just could not do it all.  
He found an empty basement outside an apartment complex and shut himself and Mikey inside. Finding his flashlight, he turned it on and sat down to assess the damage to his little brother’s body.  
Checking over Mikey’s leg, Leo noted swelling around the knee that was turning deep purple. Removing his mask from his face, Leo tied it around the swelling to keep the injury in place. Mikey cringed, pulling his leg back sharply, thus eliciting a pained yelp.  
“Easy now, Mike.” Leo touched Mikey’s cheek. “If you move it too much, it will get worse. I am just trying to help you get better, ok?” He checked Mikey’s eyes, seeing fear and pain reflected back at him.  
Mikey gave a minute nod, leaning into Leo’s hand for reassurance. “H-Hurts…” He coughed. “…’Eo.” Leo bit his lip and leaned back against the wall, holding Mikey so his chest was against the younger’s shell. He gently stroked the top of Mikey’s head and breathed warm air onto his neck to ward off the cold air.  
It worried Leo how much Mikey was shivering, cringing as he heard Mikey’s teeth chattering painfully loud, the noise echoing throughout the basement. He faired the sea green turtle would freeze to death due to his more cold-blooded system. When the four turtles were mutated, Mikey was the least touched by a human beforehand and therefore was more turtle than the others and more susceptible to the cold.  
Though he, too, felt cold, he knew Mikey needed heat more than he did. Carefully maneuvering Mikey’s injured leg, Leo pulled him close against his chest and pressed his lips against the icy skin to give the younger warmth.  
Mikey dimly registered what was happening, his mind fogging over from the cold. “L-Leo… How…are we…going to…g-get home?” He panted out in ragged breaths, nuzzling in closer to Leo’s body heat. “Don…a-and Raph c-could need help…and they don’t kn-know where we are.”  
Leo sighed, burying his beak in the crook of Mikey’s neck and letting out warm breath. “I’m going to carry you home. It may be slow since our clothes are in shreds and the cold will slow us down, but I promise I’ll get you home before the night ends.”  
“B-But…” Mikey stuttered, unable to say anything else as a fresh wave of chills ran down his spine. Steeling himself, Leo put the flashlight in his belt and lifted Mikey off the floor, one arm supporting under his knees while the other held his torso against him. He left the basement and jumped up a fire escape to the rooftop.  
He stopped as the air bit at his exposed skin and he shivered harshly for a few minutes. Hearing Mikey’s struggling breaths, Leo growled to himself and pushed on, forcing his legs into a run as he jumped to the next rooftop and the next. They would make it home, no matter the cost.  
The wind whipped around them harder and it snowed in a torrent, nearly blinding Leo on his path. He staggered and nearly plummeted off the edge of the roof he was on. Skidding to a stop, he slipped and landed on his shell, Mikey on top of him in a heap. He tried to steady his breathing, opening his eyes to find Mikey staring down at him with large eyes.  
Leo’s breath hitched in his throat, those blue eyes captivating him in an almost trance. His desire to kiss Mikey almost overpowered the need to get him to safety. They had been sneaking intimate touches and kisses whenever they could, knowing they wanted each other but fearing reprimand from their brothers.  
Just as he was about to touch his lips to his young lover, Mikey spasmed and coughed roughly, the trance broken for Leo. Blushing at his moment of weakness, Leo tightened his grip on Mikey’s writhing form and stood to his full height. He would not let that happen again.  
Starting off on his path again, Leo groaned as he heard his phone ring out, the tune one that he picked out to signal Donnie calling. Shifting Mikey in his arms, he grabbed his phone out from his belt and answered the call. “Don, you and Raph ok? What’s your status?”  
Don’s shaky reply was, “W-We made it home…b-but we’re in bad shape. Raph he…he has a nasty gash on his arm… And I-I…” He paused, causing Leo to run faster in slight panic. “Donnie what’s wrong? Are you ok?”  
There was a groan on the other end of the line. “M-My head…No good…”  
Leo’s feet pounded against the gravel as he increased his speed to the maximum. Even with the ever growing blizzard, he would keep going and make it home to care for his siblings. His youngest brother shivered ferociously in his arms, the last remains of their clothing ripping off in the wind.  
All that was left in Leo’s mind was the need to get home and out of this weather, bringing the warmth and comfort his family desperately needed. He feared he may not make it back in time before the elements claimed them all.  
The leader would not let his fear come to pass.  



	2. Chapter 2

“Donnie!” Raph coughed, pushing a chair off of him, and sat up in the smoldering van. The last thing he recalled was griping about not being able to help people that got into car accidents then Don’s hand on his knee. Mikey shouting… Panic seized him when he realized the Battle Shell was not only on fire from their incident, but Donnie was unconscious beside him. Raph could already see a dark bruise forming on the olive green turtle’s head; not a good sign. 

Shifting to grab him, Raph winced and glanced at his right arm. Golden eyes widened at the sight of a large piece of metal embedded in his bicep, oozing dark red blood that had his mind reeling. He must have been in shock to not feel the pain that was hitting him then, but he would not allow that to prevent his helping the bo master. Grunting through the discomfort, Raph carefully lifted the genius in his arms and cradled his head against his chest. He did not want to chance making the injury any worse than it already was or would be as he took care of Don.

Seeing the front was empty, Raph knew Leo and Mikey had gotten out and were recuperating somewhere safe; maybe at the lair. He ran and jumped out a broken window, ignoring the minor cuts he received, and dashed to the closest manhole cover that would lead him home and to safety. Raph thanked whatever deity he could that they both remained dressed to shield them from the biting cold and human eyes as he jumped down into the sewers. Replacing the lid, Raph rushed to the lair as fast as he could.

A soft groan turned Raph’s attention to the turtle he held tight to his body. Seeing honey eyes open and looking at him, Raph smiled as he set foot into the lair and sat on the couch, cradling Donnie in his lap. “You alright, Donnie? You have a gnarly bump on your head that should be looked at.”

Donnie sat up and touched the bump, wincing as he came in contact with the tender area. He would definitely have to check on that later in case of a concussion. Looking Raph over, Donnie felt his eyes go wide and a faint gasp escaped his mouth. “Y-Your… Your arm...” Raph shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt that bad, brainiac. Just focus on your head for now. Ya know I’ll be fine.”

Not believing his sibling, Don took a closer look at the drying, bloody area and gave it a medical once-over. Quickly, before Raph could stop him, Donnie yanked the offending piece of metal out of his brother’s arm and placed his mask on the wound to stop the bleeding. The hothead, not as immune to pain as he wanted others to think, let out a pained gasp and bit down on his lip to keep from shouting. Shell, it had hurt, but he would not show how much he wanted to assume the fetal position and shake the pain away in front of Donnie; oh he wanted to.

“Shh… Raph… I need to c-clean it before… an inf-fection… can s-sta-art.” Donnie’s speech worsened the more he spoke, causing a frustrated blush to break out along his beak and neck. Raph nodded, reaching for the emergency medical kit on the coffee table and presented it to his intelligent brother for use. Instead of speaking, he kept quiet so Donnie could concentrate and put all his focus on the task at hand. One small mistake could cost him his arm.

While Donnie worked, a bead of sweat trickled down his face, indicating the strain he was putting himself in to ensure Raph made it out of this fiasco in one piece. His fingers shook, making the stitch work sloppy but effective. Just as a fresh bandage graced Raph’s bicep, a harsh wave of nausea smacked Donnie and it was all he could do not to drop the needle and thread he held in a tight grip. His vision blurred as he placed his tools in the kit and set it on the ground, sweat coating his skin and shudders wracking his body.

“Le-“, Don stopped, glancing around and realizing his other two siblings were not present in their home. When he looked at Raph, the hothead cupped his hand over his mouth and bellowed, “Yo Leo! Mike! Ya here?!” When there was no response, Donnie frantically pulled his shell cell from his belt, turning the device on. 

“G-Gotta… call… L-Le-eo…” Doing as best as he could, Donnie clicked on Leo’s contact and brought the shell cell to his ear slit, desperately hoping someone would answer. When he heard the leader’s voice, Donnie nearly cried from joy, letting the katana-wielder know of their current predicament and the urgency of his and Mikey’s return home. If Leo had hung up, Donnie had no clue as he dropped the phone and slumped against Raph’s plastron, his energy spent and his breathing labored.

Emerald green arms encircled Don, urging him to open his eyes and say something… anything. “Please”, Raph rasped out to his mate, “Please stay with me, Donnie. Leo will be here soon and we’ll fix ya up real good.” He planted a light kiss to Donnie’s temple and rested back on the couch. “I’m beggin’ ya…” Leo had better get there soon, Raph feared this adventure on the ice could have destroyed everything they had built together.


	3. Chapter 3

Taking ragged breaths, his steps faltering, Leonardo finally arrived at the turtles’ hidden lair, holding his Mikey close. The sudden temperature change, with the lair being heated by generators installed by Don, staggered his movements and he dropped to his knees as exhaustion weighed down on him. Once his breathing was under a semblance of control, Leo gently laid Mikey on the ground and stood up, seeing his other siblings on the couch.

“R-Raph, Don! You two ok?” He stepped forward but stopped when Raph stood, cradling Don’s head against his chest in an attempt to keep it steady. He knew something was very wrong.

“Raph what’s wrong? Donnie sounded very strange on the phone earlier. Are you alright?” Raph nodded, walking toward Leo while keeping Donnie close. “I’m fine, fearless leader. Just have a scratch on my arm, no big deal. But Don… He blacked out while on the phone with ya. I think it’s his head, he hit it pretty hard in the accident.”

Raph was obviously worried over the wellbeing of the group’s genius by how he held him close as gently as possible. Leo nodded, taking Donnie into his own arms, and checked his purple-loving brother’s head injury. If the darkly-colored bruise was not proof enough, the monstrous knot on his head proved that Donnie’s injury was severe and needed immediate treatment. With the genius unresponsive, Leo took it upon himself to act as family medic.

“Raph get me an IV tube and bag full of the fluids he needs! Then go and grab a fresh ice pack from the freezer and bring it to me, now!” Raph nodded and ran to do as he was told. No one, not even Raphael, questioned Leo when he used his most commanding tone like this. It definitely brokered no argument on the situation so fighting it would just delay the inevitable and Raph knew there was no time for that.

Half an hour later, Donnie was hooked up to an IV drip with a pillow and ice pack underneath his head while he lay in his own bed. Raph watched over him, frequently stroking and squeezing his hand to reassure the scientist that he was there with him at all times. He feared he might lose the one person that kept him going in their miserable existence and wanted nothing more than to have the injury placed on him instead if possible.

Donnie did not deserve this, ever. All he ever did was work his tail off to make their lives easier in the less than ideal circumstances they lived in. There were many nights that Raph found his brainy mate working on a project that could have waited to be finished in the morning and carried him to either his room or Raph’s. Raph loved to make Donnie happy so every morning he brewed a mug of coffee – black with two scoops of sugar – to give his lover the energy boost he needed for the rest of the day. His hard work should not have earned this outcome, not in the least. Raph just could not understand why it happened to Donnie, of all people.

Raph was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed the blanket draped across his shoulders. Looking up, he sighed to see Leo standing behind him with a forlorn look on his face. Mikey had regained consciousness, shivering so hard his teeth chattered like a skeleton’s old bones on Halloween. Leo was beside himself trying to keep his secret mate warm and his leg cared for before the cold took over his entire system. Raph nodded to his oldest sibling and returned his attention to the top of his worry list: Don.

“You need rest, you know.” Raph growled and hunched his shoulders forward, wincing as his cut unleashed a fresh wave of pain. “I’ll sleep when I know he’ll be ok.” Leo sighed and moved to stand in Raph’s line of sight. “It won’t do Don any good if you are sick from lack of sleep, Raph. Try to get at least two hours’ worth.”

Raph glanced toward the leader with a sharp glare. “And what about you, fearless leader, huh? I haven’t seen ya get one wink of sleep since ya got home. Been fussing too much over Mikey like a mother hen or something. You haven’t slept at all either, so don’cha lecture me about not sleeping when you’re doing exactly the same!”

The last sentence came out with more of a bite that struck Leo hard. Darn it, Raph was right. Leo had not gotten any kind of rest since he brought Mikey to the lair and immediately went to care for Donnie and yet he was ordering Raph to do the opposite. What kind of hypocrite was he? How could he expect his team to do what they were told if he did not follow the same guidelines as an example? Sighing, Leo pinched the bridge of his beak. “Fine, Raph. How about we both get some rest so we can regain our strength and care for our brothers? That sounds fair, right?”

Raph nodded, knowing it really was a fair compromise, and was relieved he did not have to argue on the topic anymore. He was too tired to keep it up. “Ya got it, bro. It’s turtle nap time.” With that, he laid down beside Donnie and held his hand as he got comfortable for some much needed sleep, reveling in his mate’s warmth to help soothe him into unconsciousness.

Leo smiled and went to his room, removing his katana sheathe and mask as he climbed in bed beside Mikey. He looked at the clean bandages wrapped around the younger’s leg and the sweater covering his torso, smiling at how peaceful he seemed in sleep. Nuzzling the youngster’s head, Leo sighed in contentment and allowed his mind to drift as sleep and exhaustion overtook him. 

The following morning, Leo awoke when he felt movement beside him. Pulling Mikey close, he looked down into shining blue eyes that glistened with unshed tears. The realization that something was wrong shocked the rest of the exhaustion out of his body as he sat up, cradling the smaller of the two in his arms. “Mikey? What’s wrong, my love?”

Stuttering, Mikey nestled as close to Leo’s chest as he could. “M-M-My le-eg h-hurts-s… S-So co-old…” Leo pulled off the blanket and removed the bandages on Mikey’s leg. It was swollen and dark purple. His leg had somehow gotten worse on the trip home due to the frigid temperature. How could he have been so careless to overlook that?

“Ok ok, I can fix this. Donnie taught me a few things for emergencies. I’ll keep it from getting worse, I hope.” He hopped out of the bed and gathered what he needed, returning to Mikey’s side to help with the obviously broken bones. While he worked, a shout from down the hall halted his movements.

“Leo! Mikey! Donnie’s awake! Get over here!” Leo picked Mikey up – a blanket had him wrapped like a burrito – and ran down to Donnie’s room, where Raph stood in the doorway with a relieved smile on his face. It was a welcome sight for them after the rough night they had. Leo panted and looked past Raph’s shoulder. “He’s awake? Did he say anything? Let us in.”

Raph lifted a hand to silence the leader, blocking their entry. He raised an eye ridge and gestured to Mikey, who was laying curled up in Leo’s arms like an infant. “Mind explainin’ this behavior, oh great and wise leader? I’ve noticed how much you’ve been favoring Mikey lately and demand to know what’s going on between you.”

Sighing, Leo glanced at Mikey, receiving a minute nod to go ahead and tell the truth. No point in hiding it anymore with their lives at stake. “Look…Raphael… Mikey and I have been secretly dating each other for the past five months!” It came out in a rush, knocking the wind out of him. He shut his eyes, waiting for a smart remark from Raph but only heard a bark of laughter.

When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see Raph doubled over laughing. Laughing! Raph rarely laughed and the fact he could not get one word out was astonishing. Letting out a light growl, Leo nudged Raph’s shell with his foot, knocking him over and to the ground. All laughter ceased as Raph sat on his feet to look up at his brothers. While Leo looked peeved, Mikey looked utterly confused about the entire scenario. He didn’t think it was funny at all.

Raph wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up. “Boy that is a relief, you know? Don and I have been doing the same for about a year now. We didn’t know how you guys would react so we said nothing. Come on in. Don’s waiting for ya.” With that, he walked into the room with Leo on his heels. “Are you serious? You’re together? With Donnie? For a year?!” Raph nodded and sat next to Donnie, taking his hand. “Yup.”

“C-Cute… You f-figured it out s-oone-er… than w-we di-i-id”, Mikey squeaked, a small smile flickering across his face. A groan caught their attention, turning six eyes on the incapacitated genius that looked up at them with barely concealed pain. “R-Raphie… Why… How are… There are m-more turtles?!” He curled in on himself and coughed, rasping as he spoke next. “Wh-When were you g-gonna tell me?”

Thoroughly confused, Raph rubbed Donnie’s shell to ease the coughing fit. “What are ya talking about, Donnie boy? That’s Leo and Mikey, our brothers that we grew up with. Fearless and the goofball. Don’t ya remember?”

Donatello blinked, tilting his head to assess the other pair. “I don’t…know. Wh-What you’re talking ab-bout. I d-don’t know them.” Leo gasped and blinked, slightly hurt that his brother didn’t recognize him and Mikey. He had the best memory out of the four, how could he forget his own family? Did he hit his head that hard?

Mikey shook, breathing onto his hands to warm them as they had gone numb from the cold. Donnie had no idea who he was. He was forgotten oh so easily by the most sensible being on the planet. This could not be happening, not now. “D-Donnie?” He sounded so small, like a vulnerable child afraid of their own shadow. “Wha-at d-do you reme-ember?”

Donnie shuffled closer to Raph, easing out of the harsh coughs that bombarded his chest. “I… I remember… coming home with Raph… And then, my head hurt so bad… Ow.” He rubbed at the bruise on the back of his head, wincing as he touched the tender flesh. “Did… I think… I think I have amnesia… That’s why I don’t recognize either of y-you. The last person I saw before passing out was Raph, so…He’s all I know.”

Holding Donnie close, Raph kissed the top of his head. It pained him to know that his love was in so much pain that he had no idea about. If only he had known… “Aw Donnie. I wish I knew how to fix this. We need that big brain of yours in one piece.” He looked up at his other siblings, eyes pleading for help.

Leo sighed, setting Mikey on the edge of the bed, and stood next to Donnie to look in his eyes. “Donatello, do you know anything that can fix amnesia? We’ll try any method to help you, just give us the word.”

The genius shook, feeling unease at the older turtle’s close proximity, and clung to Raph as he wracked his brain for anything he could remember. His breathing turned ragged, his head pounding with the effort to think so hard. Raph rubbed his shell, muttering in a soft tone to keep him calm.

“Aha! I-I got it! All you need is to reinforce my m-memory with normal stimuli that I am used to. Like…Like behaviors and routines. Yeah, yeah that stuff.” He was nodding, affirming his statement to the other three. “Just keep life normal, like I’m used to. I should remember after a while.”

Mikey rubbed his leg, understanding what he had to do. “A-And guess what? It’s Ch-Christm-mas! Present t-time, dudes!” Leo smiled picking Mikey back up to plant a kiss to his cheek. “Great idea, Mikey. Let’s go celebrate as a family on this wondrous occasion.”

Raph stood, pulling Donnie up with him, and draped the genius’ arm over his broad shoulders to keep him steady. “Sure, gifts. Let’s do that.” Together, the four made their way down the stairs to the decorated tree in the center. Their human friends, April and Casey Jones, were just entering at the same time. It’s not Christmas without family.


	4. Chapter 4

A month after the Christmas Eve incident, Mikey’s leg had healed considerably. He walked with a slight limp and was not as fast as he used to be, but he was just glad to be able to walk again. Mikey owed his healing to the team’s one and only leader, Leonardo, who he loved deeply with all of his heart. Though Leo was very supportive of his progress, the blue-banded ninja had become more strict about what the younger could and could not do.

Like last night, Mikey had gone for his skateboard in hopes of riding on his baby in the sewers again. Unfortunately, a forest green hand grabbed the board before he could reach it. Leo held it firmly, shaking his head. “No, Mikey. You’re still healing and it’s much too dangerous to go out alone.”

Mikey had scoffed, placing a hand on his hip to get into an argumentative stance. “You could go with me if that would make you feel better. I just really want to go riding again, it’s been too long, Leo!” He was whining, he knew that, but Leo looked like he would not budge and he desperately longed for his skateboard.

“Michelangelo, enough! I said it isn’t safe and that means you are staying here! In fact, it’s your turn to help Don regain his memory so get to it. I’ll be there in a moment.” Leo strode toward the garage lift with Mikey’s precious board, more than likely stashing it where the nunchuck master would not find it.

Mikey understood that Leo was trying to protect him but he was a ninja! A ninja turtle, master of nunchakus and all things fun. He should be trusted to stay out of trouble when just riding his skateboard through the tunnels like he used to. He was being so unfair! ‘I need to get to the bottom of Leo’s behavior soon or I’ll never have fun again…’ Mikey’s thoughts trailed off when the turtle in question entered their shared bedroom.

Leo assembled a pillow off to the side of the room and arranged scented candles in a circle, carefully lighting each one. The familiar scent wafted toward Mikey, reminding him of special dates they’d have together where Leo set up a picnic with a few scented candles to give romantic ambiance. The memories sent a pang of longing and sadness straight through Michelangelo. Its force was so powerful that he involuntarily let out a pitiful whimper that caught Leo’s attention.

“Are you alright, Mikey?” Leo turned to look at the youngest, soft concern in his eyes. When Mikey cast his eyes aside, refusing to answer, Leo growled and walked toward him. “Michelangelo, I asked if you were ok.” He stood in front of Mikey, arms crossed over his plastron in his leader stance. The soft concern was replaced by cold intolerance.

Mikey swallowed, unused to this kind of attention targeted toward him. Leo had never spoken to him like that, ever. What could he have done to deserve such harsh treatment from the one he loved most? While staring up into hard eyes, Mikey felt his own sting with the threat of unshed tears. Oh no, he would not resort to showing weakness when he was supposed to prove he was strong like always. Leo had to see that.

Biting his lip, Mikey turned a glare onto his mate, puffing out his chest in defiance. “You know what, Leo? No, I am not ok! Wanna know why I am not ok?” He stood then, pressing a finger into the elder’s chest as he spoke. “You are upsetting me like you wouldn’t believe! Ever since the accident, you won’t let me do anything I used to anymore and treat me like an invalid!” His arms went to his sides, hands clenching into fists as they shook with boiling rage. Mikey was going to explode.

Shifting his stance to a more relaxed position, Leo sighed and ran a hand over his head while he thought. “Look, Mikey, it’s not that I don’t trust you to watch out for yourself, I do. It’s just, I keep reliving all that happened and visualize you dead or mangled in an irreparable way and that scares me. I’m really sorry but I don’t feel comfortable with you leaving the lair alone right now.”

Scoffing, Mikey shouted at Leo. “BULL! THAT IS ABSOLUTE BULL, LEO! YOU LET RAPH GO OUT BY HIMSELF AND EVEN DONNIE GETS TO GO WITH HIM! I ALWAYS GIVE THE OPTION OF YOU JOINING ME BUT YOU JUST TURN ME DOWN LIKE A CHILD!” His chest heaved, heart beating much faster than it should as he tried to calm down enough to speak at a lower level.

“You haven’t, not once, even a little, given me any kind of affection like before. No hugs, no kisses, no caresses, not a single gentle touch! How do you think that makes me feel, Leo? I’m an affectionate turtle and could have really used some loving during recovery but got nothing save a blanket wrapped around me when I was shivering like a little chihuahua.” His lip quivered then, a few tears spilling down his cheeks when he shut his eyes to block Leo’s face out of his mind.

Leo looked at Mikey in shock, guilt immediately peeling away his defenses to the point where he felt open and vulnerable. He knew he hadn’t given Mikey much of the attention he used to and had turned a cold shoulder on him, but it was for his own good. It was Leo’s lack of judgment and focus that caused all the chaos the family went through. He was the one driving when they had wrecked. If Mikey hadn’t grabbed the wheel, they might have all gotten hurt, or worse…

Gulping, Leo reached out and took Mikey’s face into his hands, planting a light kiss to his forehead. As he had hoped, Mikey’s eyes opened to look at him, confusion and hurt reflecting brightly in the baby blues. He had done that. He, Leonardo, had caused his beloved intense emotional pain that probably hurt more than his physical injuries. “Oh Mikey…” He hugged Mikey close, nuzzling his head affectionately.

“I am so sorry, Mikey. I know I’ve been distant lately and treating you with contempt. It’s not any fault of yours, trust me. You’re perfect.” Mikey shook his head, still uncertain. “Then…Then why have you been doing this? I’m hurting without you.”

Shutting his eyes, Leo rested his forehead against Mikey’s. “It’s my fault you got hurt. I…I figured if I stayed away from you, you’d be safe from harm; safe from me.”

Mikey pushed Leo back, looking up into his eyes. “Seriously? You don’t trust my safety around you? Shell, Leo, you really are dumb.” Leo’s eyes widened, opening his mouth to comment. Mikey shushed him with a finger. “Don’t interrupt. Leo… I feel safest when with you. If there was anyone who could keep me safe best, it would be you, hands down. And recently, I’ve been feeling less and less safe without you around. So stop trying to hide from me and keep me from doing what I love. It’s not worth it.”

“Mikey… I don’t know what to say.” Mikey grinned, kissing Leo’s jaw lightly. “Don’t say anything, just come join me on an ice cream run. Skateboard and scooter action!” Leo chuckled. “You don’t stay down for long, huh? Well come on, then. Let’s go grab some sweet treats.”

With that, he dashed out the door and jumped down to the first floor. “After all! Getting Donnie his favorite will help him remember more!” He hopped onto his scooter and raced out of the lair into the tunnels. Mikey skidded to a halt beside his hover board. “Since Leo hid my skateboard, I have no choice but to use my futuristic baby.” He turned it on, hopped onto it, and flew down after Leo, whooping in delight at the familiarity of it all. His fears had subsided and he was finally able to let go.

A little while later, Donatello was enjoying a fresh scoop of some delicious ice cream. He really liked it and remember it being called…jamoca almond fudge; coffee-flavored, mmm. His mind flashed with some scene with the other turtles that called themselves his brothers and gasped, causing Raph to jump from his seat next to him. “Donnie? Are you ok? Brain freeze?”

Donnie shook his head, setting the frosty treat on the nightstand as he held his head in his hands. “I…I saw… something. It was familiar but…I can’t quite place it.” Raph grabbed Donnie’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Tell me what you saw so I can help you.”

Taking a cleansing breath, Donnie dove into his tale. “We had all gone for ice cream, you, me, the other two, a rat and two humans, and were having a good time when this guy came out wanting to hurt the blue one…. Leo?” Raph nodded. “Yeah, that’s his name and I remember that day. I absolutely hated not being able to help our bro fight that cheating low-life.”

Giggling, Donnie wrapped his other hand around Raph’s. “You’re so cute when you get mad.” Raph blushed, giving Donnie a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks. Hey wait…you just remembered something from the past! Your memory is improving, Don!” He smiled big, like an excited little kid in a candy store.

“R-Really? I’m getting better?” When Raph nodded, Donnie whooped and kissed Raph square on the lips, showing no restraint in his actions. Boy, was Raph bewildered. The kiss was short but passionate and it left Raph breathless with the desire for more when it ended. Donnie grinned, turning back to eating his melting ice cream while Raph rubbed the back of his head with a dark blush across his beak. "Shell, Don. You’ve never been so forceful with me… I kinda like it.”

Blushing a light shade of pink, Donnie pulled his knees up to his chest as he finished off the last of his dessert. “I-I guess there’s a side of me we haven’t explored yet… We’ll definitely venture into it more. It’s exhilarating to take charge and not be totally submissive. I see now why you like it so much, Raphie.”

Raph nodded and pulled his lover close. “I’d like some now.”


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quick wrap-up

Another month passed – two months after the accident – so it was February, meaning there was more snow than ice on the surface; safe for travel. This fact did not go unnoticed by four mutants that lived below the surface, for they, too, wished to enjoy the fresh blanket that lay across all of New York City.

Leonardo made sure to bundle Michelangelo up as much as he could, adding a few scarves to ensure warmth. Of course, Mikey whined and protested the whole time. “Leooo. I can’t move my arms!” It was true. His arms stuck out at the sides and hardly budged when he tried moving them. “This is so a ‘Christmas Story’ moment, dude. Just wait until I fall over and can’t get up.” 

The light chuckle he received was full of warmth. “Now Mikey, I know this seems excessive but it’s for your safety since you’re more vulnerable to the cold and have a… ahem... bum leg.” Mikey pouted and sent the widest eyes he could toward his mate, willing him to relent a little. Leo sighed, removing a layer of clothing so Mikey could move freely without complaint.

“Ahh… Thanks, my dear older brother. I can feel my arms again.” To emphasize, he waved his arms up and down with a large grin on his face. “Time to enjoy that snow!” As he moved to run to the elevator, Leo reached out to pick him up over his shoulder, causing Mikey to shriek and squirm. “Put me down, put me down! Leo!”

The leader smirked, strolling toward the elevator nonchalantly. “’Tis more fun to carry my maiden than let you have to walk on your poor leg.” They rode up to the garage and stepped onto the street. Since they were covered from head to toe, no human would suspect that they were different. Leo set Mikey down on his carapace in the snow. 

“Snow turtles!” Mikey squealed and waved his limbs back and forth, making a shape in the snow. His laughter brought a genuine smile to his mate’s face as he joined in on the fun. The two chuckled and tossed snow at one another, starting to compete in who can make the largest snowball.

Coming over to take part in snowy activities, Raph and Donnie smiled as they watched their siblings having a good time. Don’s memory was slowly but surely returning to what it once was. He recalled all of their names, some childhood memories, battles, dimensional travels, and how he came to be Raph’s mate. His heart swelled when he looked to his right and saw a sparkle in Raph’s eyes.

The hothead had done nothing but dote on him every day until he told him to pay attention to his own needs. He deserved some good-natured fun and a way to unwind from all the stress. Grinning mischievously, Donnie picked up a snowball and tossed it at Raph, hitting him in the shoulder. The resulting giggle spurred Raph to tackle the genius into a snow pile, the pair laughing at their youthful antics.

Leo and Mikey looked over to watch, smiling at their brother’s smiles. It was good to see them smile again, considering what they had gone through prior. In fact, they had all smiled a lot more recently. Something in the air must have gotten under their shells, for everything made them giddy and restless. It was great for their human friends, Casey and April, to see. It had been so long since they had openly showed joy.

April took a picture with her camera, smiling at the scene. “It’s a Kodak moment.”


End file.
